SAN DIEGO – The San Diego State swim and dive program recorded its 49th consecutive dual-meet victory on Friday after defeating Pepperdine at Aztec Aquaplex to highlight the team's Senior Day festivities.
Pending the completion of this weekend's events at the UCLA Bruin Diving Invitational, where the head-to-head results between the Aztecs and Waves will be factored into their final dual meet score, SDSU currently maintains a 134.5 to 104.5 advantage over Pepperdine after 14 completed swim events in its home pool.
The Aztecs logged the fastest time in 14 of those races, winning nine, to raise their record to 13-0 on the season. As a result, SDSU has not dropped a dual meet since Jan. 8, 2018, a span of over five years.
Update (1/15/23): After factoring in results from the Bruin Diving Invitational, held Jan. 13-15 in Los Angeles, the Aztecs' victory margin in their win over Pepperdine at home on Jan. 13 was tabulated as 139.50 to 131.50.
Following a special ceremony prior to the meet, the Scarlet and Black wasted no time getting down to business, capturing the first three spots in the 200 medley relay.
Fittingly, the senior quartet of Jeannette King, Kristina Murphy, Lizzie Menzmer and Evonne Stehr completed the race with a winning time of 1:45.02, while the foursome of Riley Tapley, Meredith Smithbaker, Alex Roberts and Alyssa Schiller clocked in at 1:45.47 to place second.
In addition, the combo of Abby Storm, Moa Bergdahl, Mai McKenna and Avery Turney took third at 1:46.60, with their result counting as an exhibition.
Individually, Menzmer, Gebhardt and Murphy posted the fastest time in two races each, while Tapley, Turney, Paige Mitchell, Christiana Williams and Jessie McMurray each claimed event crowns.
Mitchell emerged victorious in the 1000 freestyle with a time of 10:41.47, while Emily Allen (11:06.04) overtook the Waves' Ellie Hendren down the stretch to finish second.
Shortly thereafter, Murphy was triumphant in the 200 freestyle, thanks to a season-fast clocking of 1:52.61, while Wilma Johansson was second with a time of 1:54.88, followed by Lyndsey Wehr's third-place effort at 1:58.55.
SDSU continued its dominance in the 100 backstroke, as Tapley (55.45) outlasted teammate Alex Roberts (55.76) in an exciting finish, while Stehr (57.03) placed third just ahead of McKenna (57.35), with the latter's time scored as an exhibition.
The 100 breaststroke also featured a dramatic conclusion, as Williams (1:03.04) edged Bergdahl (1:03.86) for the crown, while Smithbaker was third after touching the wall at 1:04.06.
Moments later, Gebhardt crafted a winning performance in the 200 butterfly with a time of 2:06.34, while Emily Tenczar clocked in at 2:09.24 to finish second.
The Scarlet and Black gave the partisan gathering another nail-biting finish in the 50 freestyle, as Menzmer (23.82) stretched past Turney (23.92) at the wall for the victory, while King (24.67) tied for third in the race.
Turney would not be denied in the 100 freestyle, however, as she recorded a winning time of 51.52 to claim the title, while Wehr (52.94) edged Johansson (53.02) for second.
The Aztecs show no signs of letting up in the 200 backstroke, where McKenna was victorious with a swim of 2:01.13, while Roberts finished in the second spot at 2:03.38.
SDSU also won the final five races of the day, with those results counting as exhibitions.
McMurray logged the fastest time in the 200 breaststroke after clocking in at 2:24.76, while Gebhardt (5:17.73) duplicated the feat in the 500 freestyle, edging Mitchell (5:17.86) in another thrilling finish.
The Aztecs also flashed their talent in the 100 butterfly, where Menzmer (56.06), Johansson (56.53), Tapley (56.67) and Tenczar (58.74) posted the four fastest swims of the event.
Similarly, SDSU's depth was on display in the 200 individual medley, where Murphy (2:02.66) touched the wall just ahead of McKenna (2:02.69), while Williams (2:11.70) and Stehr (2:12.40) followed in succession.
Appropriately, Aztec seniors enjoyed one more shining moment at home, as the team of Gebhardt, Menzmer, Tapley and Mitchell notched the fastest time in the 200 freestyle relay with a clocking of 1:38.32 to edge the foursome of Schiller, Turney, Tenczar (1:38.57).
San Diego State swimmers will be back in action on Friday, Jan. 27, when they battle the University of San Diego in a road dual, starting at 2 p.m. PT.
Bruin Diving Invitational – Day One Results
Aztec senior Ximena Lechuga Gonzalez led the Scarlet and Black delegation during the first day of competition at the UCLA Bruin Diving Invitational at Spieker Aquatics Center in Los Angeles, California.
Lechuga Gonzalez finished 13th in the finals of the 3-meter springboard with a cumulative score of 527.05 points after compiling 255.35 points in the preliminaries.
The SDSU contingent also included Valentina Lopez Arevalo, who placed 21st in the preliminaries with 241.30 points, followed by Summer Westmoreland (33rd, 220.40 pts), Emma Duggan (39th, 211.65 pts), Taylor Konopacke (41st, 209.00 pts), Olivia Zamudio (T-44th, 207.60) and Jules Harrison (61st, 171.65 pts).
The Bruin Diving Invitational resumes on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. PT with the preliminary round of women's platform event.